Garment bag



Aug. 18, 1942. ,H. PATCH GARMENT BAG Filed Feb. "5, 1940 UNIT-ED Patented Aug. 18, 1942 GARMENT BAG Application February 5, 1940, Serial 'N0.317',289

STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

In general the'present invention relates to bags for maintaining in a clean or dustproof condition hanger supported garments, such as suits and dresses. More particularly the invention relates to that type of garment bag which is adapted to be hung from a horizontal rod in a closet or like storage space and comprises a rectangular top, a rectangular bottom, and a front, a back and inner and outer sides of thin impervious garment hangers.

high price.

limit or restrict the life of the bag.

ously designed garment bags.

transparent material, such as Pliofilm, and lo the bag is provided and in addition no fastening also comprises beneath the margins of the top, a means, such as a full length hookless fastener rectangular wire frame having a centrally disor snap fasteners, need-be employed. .posed crosspiece which is :bent up and down to Another Object of the invention S provide a form U-shaped loops for receiving the hooks of garment bag w i i rem y d r e an ay be manufactured at a low and reasonable cost. In a bag of thistylpe it has heretofore been Other objects of the invention and the various customary to form the outer side of two half advantages and characteristics of the present width strip-like pieces, the outer margins of gar ent bag Will be apparent from a considerawhich are connected by stitching and'fabric bindtion of the following detailed description. ing strips to the contiguous or adjacent margi The invention consists in the several novel ofthe front and back respectively, and the inner features which are hereinafter set forth and are margins of which form a slit-like Opening for more particularly defined y the Claim at t e inserting-the garments into the bag and for reconclusion hereof. moving such garments therefrom and have asso- In the drawing W c companies-and forms ciated therewith either a continuous hookless fasa h Of s p fi a 01' disclosure and in tener (zipper) or snap fasteners for detachably which like numerals of reference denote corresecuring or holding them together. In practice sp m g p ughout the several views: it has been found that a garment baghaving the Figure 1 is perspective View Of garment bag outer side thereof'formed of two half width stripembodying the invention, parts being broken like pieces t detachable fastening means away in order better to illustrate the construction therebet/ween is objectionable for several reasons. and design of the ba e p y e Ou r S de; In the first place by employing eithera continugu e 2 is a Vertical longitudinal section taken ous full length hookless fastener or snap fas- 0n the line22 of Figure'l and illustratingthe teners the cost of manufacture is so increased manner in which the top m ins of the two full that the bag can he sold only at a comparatively width pieces are secured togetherand t th Secondly, when hookless fastening tiguous end margin of the top; means or snap fasteners are used for detachably igure '3 is a horizontal section taken on th securing together the innermargins of the stripline 33 of Figure 1 and showing the'two side like side pieces such pieces are subjected to such forming pieces in their normal or lapped posistrain when the fastening means or snap fas- 40 tion; and 7 teners' are opened that they either stretch out of Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken shape or crack or rupture and thus materially on the line 44 of Figure l and illustrating the mannerin which the bottom margins of the two One object of the invention is to provide a full width pieces are connected together and to garment bag which is an improvement upon, and the contiguous side margin of the bottom of'the eliminates the objectionable features of, previbag.

Generally speak- The bag which is'shown in the drawing coning the improved bag is of standard o iconvenstitutes the preferred embodiment'of the inventional design-except for the outer side and this, tion. It is adapted to be hung or suspended from instead of being formed of two half width strip- U a horizontally extending rod'in a closet or like like pieces, consists of two full width pieces, one o e Spa e and serves as a container or reof which is secured at the outer margin thereof ceptacle for maintaining in a clean dustproof to the contiguous margin of the back and at the Condition n r uppor rments, such as top and bottom margins thereof to the contiguous suits and dresses.

margins of the top and bottom of the bag and the other of which'is arranged in lapped relation with the one piece and has its outer margin secured to the contiguous margin of the front and its top and bottom margins secured to the top and bottom margins of said one piece and also to the contiguous top and bottom margins of the top and 'loottom. By forming the outer side of the bag with two full width pieces as distinguished from half width pieces an efficient closure for As theparts thereof the bag comprises a rectangular top 5, a rectangular-bottom 6, a front I, a back 8, an inner side 9, an outer side ID, a frame II and a hook I2. The top, bottom, front, back and the two sides are formed of Pliofilm or like thin impervious transparent material and together define a box-like dustproof compartment. The top is supported and maintained substantially flat by the frame II, as hereinafter described, and is positioned in vertically spaced relation with the bottom 6. The bottom corresponds in size to the top and serves as a bottom closing medium for the bag. The front I is rectangular and has the bottom margin thereof connected to the front margin of the bottom in any suitable manner, such for example as by stitching and a fabric binding strip. It corresponds in width to the length of the top and bottom and has the top margin thereof suitably secured to the front margin'of the top 5. The back 8 corresponds in size to the front 1 and has its bottom margin suitably connected to the rear or back margin of the bottom 1. The top margin of the back 8 is suitably secured by stitching and a fabric binding strip to the rear margin of the top 5. The inner side 9 corresponds in Width to the width of the top and bottom and has its bottom margin suitably connected to the inner end margin of the bottom and its top margin suitably secured to the inner end margin of the top 5. The side margins of the inner side 9 are suitably secured to the inner side margins of the front and back of the bag. The outer side II], that is the side of the bag which when the bag is suspended from the usual cross-rod of a closet faces the closet doorway, consists of an inner side piece I3 and an outer side piece I4.

The inner piece I3 is full width and full length. Its front margin is free, as shown in Figure 3, and is reinforced by way of a fabric binding strip I5 which is suitably secured in place by a vertical line of stitching. The rear margin of the inner piece I3 is positioned in lapped relation with the outer side margin of the back 8 and is secured to such margin by way of stitching and a fabric binding strip I6. The top margin of the inner piece I3 is coextensive with the outer end margin of the top 5 and is secured to such margin by a horizontal line of stitching I! (see Figure 2). The bottom margin of the inner side piece I3 is coextensive with the outer end margin of the bottom 6 and is secured to such margin by a horizontal row or line of stitching I8 (see Figure 4). The outer side piece I4 is full width and full length or height, the same as the inner side piece I3. It is positioned normally in lapped relation with the inner side piece I3 and has the front side margin thereof connected to the outer side margin of the front I by a vertical row of stitching and a fabric binding strip I9. The other side margin of the outer side piece I4, that is, the rear side margin is free, as shown in Figure 3, and is reinforced by a fabric binding stri 20. of the outer side piece I4 is connected to the top margin of the inner side piece I3 and the outer end margin of the top 5 by the stitching I I and the bottom margin of the outer side piece I4 is connected to the bottom margin of the inner side I3 and the outer end margin of the bottom 6 by the stitching I8. A fabric binding strip 2| surrounds and protects the .top margins of the inner and outer side pieces I3 and I4 and is secured in place by the stitching H. The bottom margins of the two side pieces are protected and reinforced by a fabric binding strip 22 and The top margin this is held in place by the stitching I8. The inner and outer side pieces I3 and I4 are normally positioned in lapped relation and hence form a dustproof closure for the outer side of the bag. When it is desired to gain access to the interior of the bag, that is, the garment compartment within the bag, it is only necessary to pull apart the two side pieces I3 and I4 and thus provide a full length opening. Through such opening garments may be inserted into the bag or removed therefrom. In order that the two side pieces tend normally to remain in lapped relation and thus provide a dustproof seal or closure for the bag an auxiliary rectangular bottom 23 is provided. This bottom is formed of fiberboard or like comparatively heavy material, rests upon, and corresponds in size to, the bottom and so weights the bottom that the front, back and inner and outer sides of the bag are held in a flat condition. Due to the weight which is afforded b the auxiliary bottom 23, the inner and outer side pieces I3 and I4, constituting the outer side I I) of the bag, do not tend to bulge. The depth of the bag, that is, the distance between the inner and outer sides corresponds to the width of a hanger supported suit and hence when a suit is properly hung in the bag, as shown in Figure 1, the sleeve at the outer side bears against the inner piece I3 and thus effectively maintains the latter in abutment or sealed relation with the outer side piece l4. By having the two side pieces of full width and secured in place, as heretofore set forth, no auxiliary fastening means, such as a hookless fastener or snap fasteners need be employed. By eliminating the necessity of employing a hookless fastener or snap fasteners the bag as a Whole may be produced at an extremely low cost and in addition the two side pieces are not subjected to any stress or strains which would tend materially to restrict or limit the life of the bag.

The frame II is of conventional or standard design. It is rectangular as illustrated in Figure 1 and is formed of wire. The front, back and side parts of the frame underlie the marginal portions of the top with the result that the frame serves as a supporting medium for the top and holds the top in a flat condition. The frame is provided with a cross-piece 24 and this is bent up and down to provide a horizontal series of ueshaped loops for receiving hooks of hangers. The central portion of the cross-piece is provided with a vertical elongated inverted U-shaped loop 25 and this extends through an eyelet 26 in the central portion of the top 5. The hook I2 is pivotally connected to the upper end of the loop 25 and serves as a medium for suspending the bag. When the bag is in a suspended position as the result of the hook I2 being positioned in hooked relation with a horizontal rod or like support the bag assumes its normal position (see Figure 1) The herein described bag effectively and efficiently fulfills its intended purpose and is of exceptionally long life and capable of being manufactured at a low cost due to the construction and design of the outer side It].

Whereas the top, front, back and sides of the bag have been described as being formed of Pliofilm it is to be understood that they may be formed of other suitable flexible sheet material. It is also to be understood that the invention is not to be restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

As the new article of manufacture, a garment bag having suspension means associated therewith and comprising an elongated rectangular top, an elongated rectangular bottom beneath the top and the same in size as the top, a thin flexible front extending between, and secured to,

two of the long margins of the top and bottom,

a thin flexible back positioned in opposed rela tion with the front and extending between, and secured to, the other two long margins of the top and bottom, a thin flexible inner side extending between, and secured to, two of the short margins of the top and bottom and having its side margins secured to the adjacent side margins of the front and back in order that it defines with said top, bottom, front and back a garment compartment, and also comprising a supporting and stiffening member beneath the top and with a centrally disposed transversely extending cross piece to receive hooks of garment hangers, and in addition an outer side formed of inner and outer full width and full length side pieces of thin flexible material, one of said side pieces having one side margin thereof coextensive with, and secured throughout its length to, the contiguous side margin of the back and its top and bottom margins coextensive with, and stitched throughout their length to, the other two short margins of the top and bottom, respectively, and having its other side margin free, the other side piece having one of its side margins coextensive with, and secured throughout its length to, the contiguous side margin of the front and its top and bottom margins coextensive with, and stitched throughout their length to, the top and bottom margins of the one side piece, respectively, and having its other side margin free, said inner and outer pieces being normally positioned in lapped relation so as to form a substantially dustproof closure for the compartment and being adapted to be pulled or drawn apart to provide access to said compartment, said bottom being stiffened and reenforced and in addition so weighted that it operates, when the bag is suspended by said means, automatically to urge or maintain the side pieces in their closed or lapped position, the depth of said bag between the two sides corresponding substantially to the width of a suit or like garment in order that when the bag is in use and a suit is supported in the compartment by way of a hanger depending from said cross piece of the member and extending longitudinally of the top of the sleeve of such suit that is adjacent the outer side bears against the inner side piece and assists the weighted bottom in holding or maintaining the two side pieces in their said closed or lapped position.

HUNTINGTON PATCH. 

